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formity; but was thrown out by the Lords. The prefs teemed with publications against the Diffenters, whofe defigns, even then, were objects of fufpicion to the zealous friends of the monarchy.

The events of the fecond campaign were favourable to France, in Germany and Italy; but in the Low Countries, to the allies; and, by fea, to England and Holland.

Meanwhile, the whigs, by their indefatigable exertions, fucceeded in depriving the tories of that influence which they had hitherto enjoyed. The progrefs and effects of this change are marked by the author with tolerable accuracy. The Queen's attachment to the tory party was evidently on the decline, and feveral whigs were introduced to high offices of ftate.

The account of the campaign, 1704, may probably appear to military readers too concife; and, indeed, to others, deficient in animation and intereft. The march of Marlborough, the attack on the French lines at Donawert, and the battle of Blenheim, would have afforded admirable fubjects for the difplay of hiftorical painting by a Salluft or a Livy, military knowledge and fcience by a Cæfar or a Polybius; but this author neither attempts picturefque defcription, nor exhibition of tactics; he confines himself to fhort narration. When Hume defcribes the battles of Crecy, Poitiers, and Agincourt, we have a clear, exact, and vivid picture, and a perfect comprehenfion of caufes and effects; but all we know from Dr. Somerville is, that the Duke of Marlborough marched from Flanders, was joined by Prince Eugene, and defeated the French at Blenheim; which, of course, affords no additional knowledge to the hiftorical reader.

Refuming his account of internal tranfactions, the author takes a full view of the CONVOCATION; which is certainly interefting to thofe who may be fond of the details of ecclefiaftical affairs.

It appears that the bishops at this time were moftly inclined to the low church and the whigs; the inferior clergy to the high church and tories.

The author's detail of the military operations of 1705, though thefe were comparatively unimportant, is much more particular than of the celebrated 1704.

At home the whigs were fuccefsful at the general election; and, from this period, the Queen, for feveral years, bestowed her confidence upon them folely.

The military tranfactions of 1706 were of great importance in the various fcenes of war, and might have juftified a much fuller account, and produced a much more lively and

interesting

interefting defcription. We meet with merely general facts; but none of that nice felection of circumftances and particulars which renders a narration interefting and affecting; which, as Dr. Blair obferves, gives life, body, and colouring to the recital of facts, and enables us to behold them as prefent and paffing before our eyes. This deficiency is very manifest on the fubject of the battle of Ramillies; becaufe defcription is attempted. On the battle of Turin it is not fo obvious, as the author only mentions the victory without trying to lay before us the particulars of the combat.

The attention of all parties in Scotland and in England was now turned towards the UNION. The author very judiciously and properly opens his narrative on this fubject with a view of the ftate of Scotland previous to the measure in queftion. Here we wish he had been more particular, and had not confined himself to general facts. From his account, however curfory as it is, it evidently appears, that in point of science, literature, commerce, manufactures, and population, Scotland WAS VERY LOW, UNTIL AFTER HER UNION with her opulent and powerful NEIGHBOUR. This fituation naturally excited difcontent, which was very openly fhewn in the firft Scotch Parliament of Queen Anne. The Duke of Hamilton, and twenty-nine other members, feceded. AS THOSE feceders, though politically unwife, were privately and individually refpectable, their feceffion greatly increased the difaffection of the people, which now rofe to turbulence and fedition. They openly avowed their hatred against England. Unpropitious to Union, as to fuperficial minds, fuch a ftate of opinion and fentiment must have appeared; the WISDOM of minifters, in both countries, perceived that UNION was the fole means of difpelling difcontent, by ultimately removing its caufes; and that experience of its bleffings would, in time, reconcile to it its moft ftrenuous opponents. The FIRMNESS of adminiftration did not relinquifh a measure their wifdom faw to be pregnant with benefit, because oppofed by the prejudices, mifconception, and folly of many who were deftined to enjoy that benefit. The author gives a very full and fatisfactory detail of the proceedings in Scotland, from the commencement of the Queen's reign, to the propofition for Union; and fhews fpecial caufes, which concurred with general prepoffeffion, in rendering very different claffes and oppofite parties, averfe from UNION. Jacobitifm coincided with Prefbyterianifm in oppofing this meafure. French emiffaries fanned the flame of difcontent, and endeavoured to prevent an arrangement intended and calculated to deftroy the influence of France in the fifter kingdom. France employed"

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domeftic traitors to concert with her, and among themselves measures which would have ultimately feparated countries destined by nature, and advised by intereft, to unite closely.

No fooner, fays the author, was it known that the Scottish parliament had confented to treat of an Union with England, than diftrust and jealousy began to agitate the public mind.

"The ingenuity and labour of authors were employed to enforce every topic, calculated to inflame the paffions, and pervert the opinions of the people. The fubftance of the various treatifes, published while the Union was depending, will be comprehended under a furvey of the prejudices, objections, and various means of refiftance, which threatened to obftruct its fuccefs; and which were happily counteracted by the joint effects of ministerial influence, the dictates of found policy, and fortunate external circumstances."

Dr. S. enumerates the causes of the averfion to Union; the jealousy and hatred that had long fubfifted between the two nations; national prejudices and pride; apprehenfion of the defertion of Scotland, and the defolation of its metropolis; difference of religious opinions; fears of the increase of taxes and the ruin of trade; a notion that the country would be drained of its money by the removal of the principal nobility and gentry to London; befides fpecial objections to the propofed terms.

He next lays before us the means by which the Union was effected, and proceeds to enumerate the advantages which it produced:

"The advantages of the measure to both parties were fo obvious and important, that it was impoffible they could be overlooked or undervalued by any who were capable of judging without prejudice, or of feeling for the true and permanent intereft of their country.”

"From domeftic peace and the accumulated force of the two nations, it was eafily foreseen, that Great Britain was to derive new ftrength and refources, which would render her more secure against the attacks of rival ftates; and enable her to rife in the scale of empires."

The prefent condition of Scotland rendered her fufceptible of peculiar benefits, from a participation of the trade of England, and the future confolidation of their legiflatures. By the Union, all the fources of English opulence, profperity, and independence, were thrown open to her. She was to fhare in every branch of a lucrative, extenfive, and extending commerce; while, by a conftant intercourfe with her fellow-fubjects in England, fhe would quickly attain to more advanced proficiency in agriculture, manufactures, and fcience. But what above all was valuable, Scotland was to enjoy, in future, what the never experienced before, a free conftitution, and the vigorous and equal difpenfation of justice. σε Upon

"Upon appreciating the benefits of the Union to England and to Scotland, feverally, there can be little doubt that the balance of profit inclined to the latter; but this did not arife from her standing upon more greedy or unreasonable demands, but merely from the inferiority of her condition, which afforded a wider fcope for melioration and improvement. Nor was the furplus of gain, which was allotted to Scotland, fubftracted from the profit of England; but was rather, like redundant ftock, laid out upon a well digested scheme, and calculated to open new treasures of wealth to the perfons embarked in it."

Although we must allow much praife to the author for the industry which he has employed in procuring authentic information on this most important fubject, we cannot help thinking that a more comprehenfive and more generalizing mind might, from the fame materials, have given a much more complete and inftructive account of the neceffity of this measure, the progress and effects of this momentous fettle

ment.

ART. VII. Ellinor; Or, the World as it is. A Novel. By Mary Ann Hanway. Four Volumes, Price 12s. Lane, Leadenhall Street. 1799,

WE

E apply to ourselves, and adopt, with great truth, and pleasure, the fentiment of Pope, with the change of a fingle word, that of blame for laugh, for it is certainly our delight to "blame only where we MUST, and be candid where we can ;" but the latter is more foothing, and we rejoice in every opportunity of dealing it out in juftice to authors, and for the entertainment of readers, as little mixed by the other as may be. It is, hence, very grateful for us to recommend, with fuch drawbacks only as belong to unpractifed writers, the lively, fpirited, and agreeable novel of "Ellinor," which gives a very favourable fpecimen of the fair author's talents for this ftyle of compofition, and justifies our expecting more entertainment from the fame pen.

The characters are, in general, drawn with vivacity; the events well conducted; and the fable, upon the whole, ingenioufly contrafted; a proof of the latter will not be unacceptable to our readers.

The heroine of this work is a beautiful, accomplished, and interesting young woman, who knows not, till the fourth volume, to whom he is related, or by whom begot.' Brought up from infancy by a Mrs. Wilmot, who takes her to France, and places her in a convent, where the wishes her

to take the veil, actuated by finifter motives that are developed in the courfe of the hiftory. On finding her Eleve, firmly refolved against a life of feclufion, fhe is taken from this religious feminary, and fent to England; in her journey from Dover, the meets, in a ftage coach, a Mr. Howard, a worthy man, who, while commiferating her early misfortunes, yields his heart a willing captive to her fafcinating agrémens; he fees her fafe to the refidence of Sir James Lavington, to whofe daughter fhe was recommended as a companion. This gentleman was a man of profound erudition, ftrict honour, and divine philanthropy. Under his protection fhe might have been happy, but a perfecuting fate purfued her; by the artful machinations of Lady Fanny Flutter, and the honourable Colonel and Mrs. Campley, the is driven from his house, her fair fame blackened by the most atrocious falfehoods.

This introduces a Lady John Dareall, a new, and fingular character-" She was a woman, take her for all in all, we fhall not look upon her like again," who fpurned the fear of worldly opinion, when injured innocence, and oppreffed merit, claimed countenance and fupport. Complying with the dictates of those obfolete notions, the receives Ellinor as an inmate. Here fmiling peace once more vifited the deserted orphan, till it was driven from her bofom by the return of her Ladyfhip's fon from his travels, who forms dishonourable defigns against her protegée. As foon as he avows them, fhe quits his mother. Ellinor's guardian dying, at this period, without explaining who were her parents, the once more is fated to become a wanderer, again expofed to feel all thofe ftings that patient merit from the unworthy takes." She meets a Mifs O'Neil, the friend of her childhood, goes with her to Ireland, which to her is no place of reft. Pursued by her evil genius, under the form of Mrs. Campley, the leaves it to return to England; the packet is loft on the coast of Wales. Frantic with the preffure of accumulated mifery, the looks on death as her only refource, and meditates felf deftruction! At the moment the is about to execute her horrid purpose, fhe is miraculously preferved by a lady, who proves to be her mother, and the worthy Sir James Lavington, her father; by them he is adored, and every wifh fhe can form, gratified. Her prefent opulence, confequence, and fplendour, are an ample compenfation for her paft forrows.

The author has made her heroine act diametrically oppofite to thofe of her contemporary novelifts, by making her refufe a ducal coronet, offered by the man who once poffeffed her heart, because when he was poor and dependent, taking advantage of her fituation, he dared to degrade her ftill lower, by offering

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